Work not understanding

[Kayla-andie]

Hello, I hope everyone is doing well!

I guess I just came on here to vent but also to see if anyone has come up with a good way of explaining the pain to non endo sufferers?

I was late into work the other day as I was having a really bad morning and suffering. My manager was fine with it but when I came in, one colleague made a snide comment about how she is on her period too and she has a bad stomach but she was able to make it in on time.

I laughed and said, trust me this is worse than a bad stomach. But I wish I'd have said "at least your period pains don't make you bed bound for hours at a time". I'm not the best at describing things and I wondered if anyone had a good way to explain the pain to people? I know I don't owe her an explanation but i think it's for my own peace of mind.

Thank you in advance x

[SavageGold]

I've said before to a lady it's like trying to push my uterus out my belly button, while have explosive evacuating bowels, and like someone's cutting my skin all down my legs (thats on a day when I can feel my legs, ) plus then I want to cut my spine out. It doesn't feel like there's enough room in my body and everything wants out. Then there's the brain fog that makes me unfit to drive, plus the strength of pain killers that make me dangerous to work with because I've no personal boundaries. I've said some really toe curling stuff to clients overstepping boundaries on pain killers. I'm so high. But again, nobody outside this group really understands.

I'm very vindictive. I should say I'm glad your co worker doesn't have this pain, but really I want justice, which requires one to go through the same pain

[Dee_EndoUK Moderator Endometriosis UK]

Hi Kayla-andie

Sorry to hear about your experience at work recently - it's so frustrating when others just don't 'get' the level of pain involved.

We have a couple of resources on our website that might be worth checking out at endometriosis-uk.org/resources. The first is 'Managing your endometriosis at work - hints and tips' and the second is 'Endometriosis: a guide to your rights at work'.

Hope you find them helpful x

[Kirstie323]

You’re right in that you don’t have to justify yourself and I know how frustrating it is when people don’t believe or understand.

More people need educated on it, especially our female colleagues, so I would maybe speak to your manager to make them aware of how colleagues are making you feel. Then I’d send an email to the particular colleague who makes the remarks sending them the link - endometriosis-uk.org/what-e... so they know it is a thing and what the symptoms are

I’d also copying in your manager for awareness.